Japan's House of Representatives approved a bill on Tuesday that sets a timetable for reforming the country's social security system.

The bill calls for implementing medical system reform measures between fiscal 2014, which begins next April, and fiscal 2017.

Such measures include raising the proportion of out-of-pocket medical expenses by people aged 70 to 74 to the original level of 20 pct from 10 pct at present, and transferring the authority to operate the public health insurance system to prefectural governments from city, town and village governments.